Kay Bojesen

Kay Bojesen (1886-1958) is one of the most important pioneers of Danish design. Trained as a silversmith at the Georg Jensen workshop, he designed several products in silver, such as cutlery and serving dishes, including his famous Grand Prix cutlery. Kay Bojesen worked with other materials as well and explored in particular the possibilities offered by wood.

An example of this are Bojesen’s collection of wooden animals, become a classic of Scandinavian design and still today loved by children and adults as they were during the 1950s when they first appeared. The monkey, the bear and the elephant are not just wooden sculptures, but they have life. Kay Bojesen wished to create wooden characters with a heart and succeeded in this. The animals are sympathetic and inspiring – perfect as a toy for children for also as a piece of decoration. Bojesen’s wooden animals were an immediate success and for this reason the wooden monkey was exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London during the 1950s. Kay Bojesen was awarded many important prizes, such as the Grand Prix at the Milan Triennale, and he was also appointed silversmith to the King of Denmark.